The last Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S. Bolide rolled out of its Molsheim factory on November 27, 2025 — not just another hypercar off the line, but the final breath of an engineering legend. This wasn’t just the 40th and last Bolide. It was the last time the world would hear the 8.0-liter quad-turbocharged W16 engine roar in a production Bugatti. And with that, a chapter closed that began with the Veyron and burned brighter than any combustion engine before it.
The Last Hurrah of the W16
When Bugatti first unveiled the Bolide concept on October 28, 2020, it felt like a fever dream — a track-only monster with no roof, no doors, and a W16 engine screaming at 1,825 horsepower. No one expected it to become real. But then, on August 13, 2021, at The Quail, A Motorsports GatheringCalifornia, the company stunned the world: 40 units, €4 million each, production confirmed. All sold out in minutes.
The production version, revealed in April 2023, toned down the power slightly — 1,578 hp instead of 1,825 — but only because it now ran on 98 RON gasoline, not racing fuel. Still, with 1,600 N⋅m of torque, a dry weight of just 1,450 kg, and a 0-60 mph time of 2.17 seconds, it was less a car and more a physics-defying missile. The W16, unchanged in architecture since the Veyron’s debut in 2005, had one last chance to prove it wasn’t just a showpiece — it was a masterpiece.
Engineering a Beast That Was Never Meant to Be
Built by Bugatti Engineering GmbH in Wolfsburg and assembled in Molsheim, the Bolide wasn’t based on the Chiron — it was its spiritual successor, stripped bare. Carbon fiber bodywork. 3D-printed titanium rockers. Brembo carbon-carbon brakes with heat-shielding covers. Michelin LMdH-spec slicks. A drive unit three times stiffer than the Chiron’s. Every component was chosen to cut weight, not comfort.
Test pilot Andy Wallace took it to the Mulsanne Straight at Le Mans in 2023 and hit 217 mph — not the full 310 mph top speed, but enough to show the car could handle the circuit’s brutal demands. Bugatti claimed a 3:07 lap time at Le Mans and 5:23.1 at the Nürburgring Nordschleife, but those numbers were never officially verified. Still, the intent was clear: this wasn’t about records. It was about reverence.
A Symbol of Transition
The Bolide’s end isn’t just the end of a model. It’s the end of an engine family that defined a generation. The W16 — four banks of four cylinders, four turbochargers, 16 valves per cylinder — was never meant to last. It was a statement: we can do this. And Bugatti did. For 20 years, from the Veyron Super Sport’s 431 km/h record to the Chiron Super Sport 300+ breaking 300 mph, the W16 was their heartbeat.
Now, with electrification looming and emissions regulations tightening, the company is shifting. The next Bugatti won’t have a W16. It won’t even have a traditional internal combustion engine. The Bolide was the last gasp — not just of a car, but of an era where raw power, mechanical complexity, and audacious engineering ruled supreme.
Global Impact and Final Moments
The final Bolide made its Southern Hemisphere debut in February 2025 at the Adelaide Motorsport Festival in Australia, where crowds stood silent as it idled — the engine’s rumble like a distant thunderstorm. Owners, all of whom paid over $4 million for a car they could only drive on tracks, now own a piece of history. One owner told CarThrottle: "I don’t drive it to show off. I drive it to remember what cars used to be. This? This was the peak. And now it’s over."
Even Top Gear’s Vijay Pattni, who broke the news of the final car’s completion, captured it perfectly: "This is it. The last one. Bugatti’s Bolide project was meant to showcase and celebrate that magnificent 8.0-litre W16 engine; give it a final hurrah. Well, this is the very last hurrah from a chorus of only 40 hurrahs."
What Comes Next?
Bugatti has confirmed its next model will be fully electric, expected to arrive by 2027. Rumors suggest it will carry the name "Centodieci" — a nod to the 110th anniversary of Ettore Bugatti’s founding of the company — and promise over 2,000 hp from an all-electric powertrain. But no matter how fast or powerful it becomes, it won’t have the soul of the W16. That engine didn’t just make noise. It made history.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Bugatti stop using the W16 engine?
Bugatti retired the W16 engine due to tightening global emissions regulations and the industry’s shift toward electrification. While the engine was a marvel of engineering, its fuel consumption and carbon output became unsustainable. The company confirmed its next model will be fully electric, signaling a strategic pivot away from internal combustion.
How many Bugatti Bolides were made, and who bought them?
Exactly 40 Bugatti Bolides were produced, all sold out within hours of the 2021 announcement. Buyers included elite collectors, private racing teams, and tech billionaires with a passion for mechanical art. Each unit carried a price tag of €4 million, with delivery beginning in early 2024. No two Bolides are identical — each owner could customize certain interior and exterior details.
Is the Bolide road legal?
No, the Bolide is not road legal in any country. It was designed strictly for track use — lacking headlights, emissions controls, and even basic safety features like airbags. Owners must transport it to circuits via trailer. Its extreme downforce, lack of suspension travel, and carbon-ceramic brakes make it impractical and unsafe for public roads.
How does the Bolide compare to the Chiron?
The Bolide shares the same 8.0L W16 engine as the Chiron but revs higher and is tuned for track performance. It’s 300 kg lighter, has no roof or doors, and features a stiffer chassis, race-spec brakes, and slick tires. While the Chiron is a luxury grand tourer, the Bolide is a pure racing machine — more akin to a Formula 1 car with four wheels than a traditional hypercar.
Will Bugatti ever build another W16 engine?
Bugatti has stated unequivocally that the W16 era is over. No future models will use the engine, and production tooling has been decommissioned. While collectors might commission one-off restomods, the company itself will not produce another W16. Its legacy now rests entirely on the 40 Bolides and the 1,500+ Chirons and Veyrons that came before.
What’s the significance of the Bolide’s name?
"Bolide" is a French term for a fiery meteor or a high-speed racing vehicle. Bugatti chose it to reflect the car’s explosive performance and fleeting nature — like a shooting star across the track. It’s also a nod to Ettore Bugatti’s own racing heritage, where speed and elegance were never mutually exclusive.
